Doing It Right
by NarcissisticRiceBall
Summary: Rikkai is having a party and Yukimura gets to go. After having a conversation with Yukimura at the hospital, Sanada questions his leadership skills, social skills, and fashion skills. In desperation he gets help from the fashionably frivolous Atobe.
1. Desperate Fukubuchou

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. So you no sue, kay?

Author's Note: Here we go. Another random story that popped into my head. Yes, we all know how dangerous that is. Anyways, this is a short, random ficlet about Sanada and the angst that is Yukimura and the Rikkai tennis team with a little bit of Atobe to excite things. It's kind of fluff, but kind of crack in certain places. No official pairings, but I suppose you could say either Sanada and Yukimura or Sanada and Atobe depending on how you look at it. I didin't intend for it to come out that way, butit just does. Just let your minds wander where they want to. Without further ado, ENJOY!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**DOING IT RIGHT**

_Am I even doing this right?_

_Why does it have to be this way?_

_It's not fair…None of this is fair…_

Sanada questioned himself as he walked down the street. It was a bright Saturday morning and the fukubuchou of the Rikkai tennis team was feeling moody. He walked quickly and briskly towards the local hospital while staring blankly ahead of him. His stoic and somewhat intimidating stare caused people to get out of his away and look the other direction.

"What's their problem?" 

He wondered to himself as he gave a quick tug on his cap. The brim of the cap lowered and cast a shadow over his eyes. He felt better about himself while everybody around him felt uneasier. After what seemed like an eternity, Sanada finally made it to the hospital and mechanically went to the elevators. He stood patiently inside the car as it traveled upward to the third floor. When it finally stopped, he walked mechanically down a series of hallways until he reached one of the rooms.

"Yukimura."

The hospitalized buchou turned from the window and smiled gently at Sanada.

"Hello, Sanada!"

Sanada felt some of his tension begin to melt away when he began talking to his buchou and friend. He shifted the brim of his hat upward a little bit so he was able to see Yukimura better.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Great. I feel like I could go out right now and play a tennis match with you…and win, of course."

Yukimura laughed lightly with Sanada who just cracked a small smile.

"Oh my, now that's a rare sight. The stoic Sanada smiling. This day really is a good day."

He had to stifle a giggle as the other boy quickly stopped smiling and tried to stop the warm sensation rising in his cheeks by looking sideways and slowly pulling down on his cap.

"It's not bad to smile once and a while, you know. You'll look like an old man before you reach high school."

"I do not look like an old man! I only smile when there's something to smile about. That's all."

"Then you must live a boring and depressing life."

Sanada's eye began to twitch which caused Yukimura to giggle.

"You're so much fun to tease."

He sighed in defeat. The tennis buchou had a point. Somehow, Sanada managed to say something and set himself up for a joke once again. As embarrassing as it was, Sanada noticed how Yukimura would laugh and smile and that made him feel not so hopeless. As they were jesting and talking about the tournament with the American team, there was a light knock on the door. A nurse poked her head inside and smiled brightly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's time to get a little exercise."

"Alright."

The nurse gave a quick bow and then left the room. At this point, all the nurses knew that the patient did not need any help when the other boy was present. Yukimura tossed the covers aside and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. He slid into his slippers and nodded to Sanada.

"Okay, let's go!"

Sanada put his right arm out slightly as Yukimura grabbed on with his left hand. They took their time walking towards the stairs as they continued to talk about all the happenings at Rikkai Dai and all the things not happening at the hospital.

"It was boring to begin with, but now it just gets worse and worse as I get better. See? I'm walking at a normal pace now and soon I'll be on the courts again."

They were now making their way up a flight of stairs. Yukimura insisted going at least one set of stair before using the elevator.

Sanada patiently walked up the stair at a slow pace while letting Yukimura use him as support.

"The sooner the better. Now that nationals are coming up, Rikkai needs to be at full strength to stand against Hyotei and Seigaku. When you come back, the team will be back at full force."

Yukimura smiled at Sanada's optimism and faith in him. They finished the flight of stairs and now Sanada insisted on using the elevators now.

"Fine…You know, you worry too much…You shouldn't take too much on yourself. Just let loose and have fun once and while."

Sanada raised and eyebrow at the sudden in depth observation. Yukimura looked up at him and smiled.

"Are you talking about tonight?"

Yukimura smile turned into a lop-sided grin. Sometimes he wondered how Sanada's mind functioned.

"Yes, but also about life in general…Never mind. Just have fun tonight with no worries or cares. That's a direct order from your buchou."

The shorter boy looked at Sanada and then his eyes went wide. He almost grimaced at the sight. The fukubuchou was trying to smile. He was trying a little too hard.

"Okay…Maybe you shouldn't try _that_ hard…Oh my…Stop that…please…You're going to traumatize children and send the elderly into cardiac arrest."

Sanada dropped his head in complete misery. Yukimura felt a wave of sympathy rise up for him.

"This trying to smile thing isn't as easy as it sounds."

"Sanada, that's what I love about you."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You're so honest that you can't even pretend to smile."

The other boy looked questioningly at him. Sanada was not sure how that was supposed to be a compliment.

"It's not that I'm not happy or anything…I just don't outwardly show it…I mean I could try, but apparently that doesn't go over so well."

"I know. Once again I'm giving you a hard time…But it's true. I really do like that about you. As long as you're happy, Sanada."

Once more Yukimura had to stifle a laugh as he noticed Sanada furiously trying to hide the light pink tinge on his cheeks. They finally reached the rooftop and Sanada helped Yukimura onto the bench overlooking the city. The fukubuchou was glad for the light breeze as it helped his cheeks cool off.

"So how is the team doing?"

Sanada looked at Yukimura and then stared at the cityscape.

"About the same as before. Each of the members are working diligently and increasing every aspect of their game. The most noticeable though is Kirihara. He has improved dramatically. I have no doubt that he will be one of the best if not the best player next year. Not only has his tennis improved, but he's matured as well."

"Seems you do have a soft spot for our little second-year."

"Don't get me wrong. He still has a long way to go and he's by no means ready to take me or you on."

Yukimura sighed at his sudden defense. Sometimes he wished Sanada would not be so uptight and guarded. He enjoyed hearing him talk freely about something. He also guessed it would make Sanada feel better too.

"Well, enough about that. What about tonight? Are you excited?"

"Yes."

Yukimura began to suffer a fit of giggles at the answer he got. Sanada stood completely still while staring questioningly at Yukimura.

"I'm sorry…It's just that…That was the most un-enthusiastic response…"

"YES!"

Sanada attempted to say it again with more enthusiasm only this time he raised the pitch and tone of his voice, which caused it to crack and make a strangled response. It was too much for Yukimura to handle. He burst out laughing at the ridiculous noise while Sanada quickly cleared his throat and pulled his cap down.

"That…That was magnificent…Your voice is always so deep…and that response…I had always assumed you already went through puberty…But I guess you're not all the way through it?"

He could barely talk he was laughing so hard. Between the voice cracking and the obvious blush, it was almost too much to handle.

"I already have. That was just…just because I'm not used to voice inflections and what not…"

"Alright, alright. In all seriousness though, I really am looking forward to this evening. Even if it's for a short while, I finally will be able to get out of this hospital and see different scenery."

Sanada was still blushing, but managed a nod in agreement.

"And it will be enjoyable for everybody to be able to see you outside of that room and in different clothes."

Yukimura smiled and then looked down at his clothing. It was the normal sea-foam green attire for patients in the hospital. He had to admit, it would be nice to get out of them and wear street clothes for a change. As he was going over his own clothes, his eyes settled on what Sanada was wearing.

"It would also be nice to see you in different clothing as well."

He pointed to Sanada's outfit. He was wearing a white shirt with a large, bright yellow strip across it and what appeared to be the pants from Rikkai's uniform.

"What's wrong with these?"

"Uhh…Well, they're not the most flattering colors to look at."

Sanada examined his clothing and found nothing odd about it. He knew the colors could work since the tennis uniform has those colors on it. After staring at it for a while, he began to see what Yukimura was talking about. It hurt his eyes.

"Right. Anyways, this evening shall be a special event that I know everybody is looking forward to."

"Of course!"

Lingering a little longer on the rooftop, they both decided it was best to go back to the room. After Yukimura got back into bed, Sanada said his good byes and headed towards the lobby. As he was walking, he began to think over what Yukimura had said about him.

_"Hmm…I suppose I should wear something not so…bright…But what should I wear?…I want to look my best, but I don't want to overdo it…I need to also work on smiling more often…for Yukimura's sake…"_

He paused and looked around. Nobody was walking the hallway and he heard no footsteps. Sanada saw found a shiny tray and checked his reflection. Then, he forced himself to smile. He quickly placed the tray down with a clatter.

_"Yukimura was right…That is creepy…and wrong…"_

"Please do not ever do that again. At least not when ore-sama is around or anybody else for that matter."

Sanada felt a lump form in his chest. He heard the voice and suddenly he felt fear. Gulping hard, he held his breath and whipped around to face the speaker.

"Atobe…What are you doing here?"

Atobe looked unimpressed yet amused at Sanada's sad attempt to conceal the bright pink on his cheeks.

"Ore-sama was visiting one of the non-regulars from our tennis team…Ore-sama hopes you did not attempt to do that in front of Yukimura…He would probably never recover."

"I see…Wait, do you know the non-regulars on your team? All 200 plus?"

Atobe smirked proudly and shrugged.

"Ore-sama at least knows them by name or tennis style and at least has spoken to them once. The one in the hospital is a first year. Ore-sama has given him pointers on his tennis game once or twice."

Sanada hid it well, but he was actually impressed. He barely knew the players outside of the regulars even existed. Actually, he had attempted to greet some of the other tennis club members, but it resulted with them going stiff and trying their hardest to get away.

_"As much as I hate to say it…Atobe is a good captain…He's got the charisma and confidence to approach anybody and everybody wants to approach him…I really am a bad people person…"_

The Hyotei buchou stared right back at Sanada who said absolutely nothing.

"Boring and dull as ever. Whatever. See you later…And by the way, please don't wear those colors unless you're wearing the tennis uniform…While you're at it, you should consider changing the colors. Oh well, it's no use talking fashion with you. Take it easy."

Atobe walked around the corner leaving Sanada speechless and questioning himself.

_"'Dull and boring'…That's not suprising from him…Both Yukimura and Atobe…I really want this evening to go over well, especially for Yukimura…Should I…Well, I do want to show Yukimura that I'm not hopeless…It's risky, but…I'll do it…"_

"Atobe, wait up!"

Sanada hurried after the Hyotei diva and caught up with him in the front lobby. Atobe stopped and turned to face Sanada.

"Yes?"

Sanada stood staring at Atobe for a moment, considering what he was about to do. Atobe looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and threw pride and caution to the wind.

"Please help me…I need…I need fashion advice and-"

He was about to scream out the part about needing Atobe's help, but was interrupted by Atobe himself.

"Ore-sama thought you'd never ask!"

Atobe was smiling and Sanada did not know whether it was from the light filtering through the windows or something beyond, he could have sworn there were sparkles around Atobe.

"Right…Hm…Let's get started right now. You need all the help you can get. Do you have a deadline?"

"I need something done before seven o'clock this evening."

"Interesting…This will be no small task but ore-sama is up to the challenge. Come with me."

Sanada followed somewhat reluctantly behind him. He was beginning to regret his decision.

_"I just have to remind myself that this is for Yukimura's sake…Who am I kidding…this is insane."_

"Atobe, listen, never-"

"Get in!"

Sanada stared ahead and was shocked. Waiting right by the curb was a gorgeous black limousine. The driver who was now waiting patiently for him to enter opened the door. Atobe rolled his eyes. He walked over to Sanada and literally dragged and threw him into the car.

After they had both entered the driver got back into the driver's seat and pulled away from the hospital. It was spacious and comfortable on the inside. This was the first time he had been in a limousine. He looked over at Atobe who was instructing the driver.

"Take us to Shibuya and from there we'll go back to the house."

"Shibuya? Why do we have to go all the way there? Can't we just go to my place-"

"Absolutely not. Judging from your outfit, ore-sama would say that there is nothing of use in your closet. Now pay attention to all ore-sama has to say and then even you can become like a butterfly who was once an ugly slug. Or you can be like that ugly, gray duckling that becomes a graceful swan."

_"I think I just sold my soul to the devil…"_

Sanada sat speechless once again. He knew Atobe had personality quirks, but those similes put him on the just plain freaky scale. The diva glanced over at Sanada and noticed his discomfort. He gave Sanada a smug grin that caused a shiver to run up his spine.

"Ore-sama has big plans for you…yes, indeed…Soon…Very Soon."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Yay, I finished a chapter. This should span about three chapters total...Hopefully. In case anybody was wondering, _Buchou_ means "captain" in Japanese, _Fukubuchou_ means "vice-captain", _Shibuya_ is a famous and popular shopping district in Tokyo with lots of department stores, Ore_-sama_ is how Atobe refers to himself. _Ore_ is a masculine pronoun of "I" and -_sama_ is the highest honorific a person attaches to a name. So in a sense, he's refering to himself in the royal "we" tense. Whatever the case, just know that it is really narcississtic for somebody to refer to themselves as that. But that's why we love Atobe. Next Chapter-Sanada gets fashion tips andlearns social skills from Atobe.


	2. Boring Guy

**A/N:** Alrighty, another chapter. I'm not sure what I was thinking with this chapter. It is a lot of crack mixed with the deeper meaning behind clothing. I was inspired to write after watching the junior training camp arc. I don't know how this turned out, but I enjoyed writing it. So, I hope you enjoy this too.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doing It Right

"I don't see why this has to be a big deal. I don't need a new wardrobe. I do have clothes at home."

Atobe glanced over at Sanada and looked at him like he was stupid.

"Ore-sama thought we went over this already. Ore-sama guarantees you do not own anything that can be of use."

_"Shopping with Atobe…Wow…That sounds…wrong…"_

Sanada sunk into his seat and pulled his cap down while he attempted to ignore Atobe's rambling. However, with the diva of Hyotei, that was impossible.

"And stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

Atobe motioned to the cap on Sanada's head. The Rikkai fukubuchou stared menacingly at him. He defensively grabbed the corner of the cap's bill.

"What about it?"

"Stop hiding under it. You wouldn't be half as stand-offish and disgruntled looking if you would ditch the hat once and a while."

Sanada was indignant.

"I am not stand-offish. At least I'm not so garish as you. Besides, I'm not hiding anything."

Atobe looked like he was about ready to slap Sanada. His eyebrow began to twitch ever so slightly. Taking a deep breath, Atobe swallowed his other remarks and explained what he meant.

"First off, do not use garish. You sound like a fool. Second, yes, you are stand-offish. Third,…well, we'll get to that one later."

Outwardly, Sanada kept an indifferent, serious front, while on the inside he was mentally strangling Atobe.

_"It's like trying to argue with a parrot…A really pompous parrot…And I'm not hiding behind anything…"_

"We're here."

Sanada looked outside the car window at the huge crowds. Atobe motioned to the door.

"Get out of the car. And don't you dare try to run away."

"Hmph."

He stepped out of the car and looked around. Masses of people were crowding the intersections and flooding the entrances to the department stores.

"Come on. We're going here."

He grudgingly followed Atobe inside one of the larger department stores. When he got inside, he was actually impressed. He was expecting it to be some outrageously fancy place filled with people just like Atobe. He was surprised to find that it was pretty much like every other one.

"Surprised?"

"I had imagined you would shop…elsewhere."

"Great fashion does not mean it needs to come from a fancy store. Besides, this is the best place for you to learn. How often do you shop at a high-end place? Probably never. Since you most likely shop at an average store, that is where we shall shop."

Sanada watched Atobe amusedly as he carried on with his lecture.

"_He just never shuts up. Atobe must really love to hear himself talk."_

He put his hands in his pockets and then had an idea.

"Hey, Atobe. What's the point of this? I'll just go. I didn't bring enough money with me to go shopping like this."

He realized this as he shoved his hands into his pockets and felt that they were empty. It was not lying since it was true and it would get him out of shopping for a new set of clothes. Sanada's plan was quickly shot down as he noticed Atobe ginning smugly at him.

"Nice try, but no cigar. Ore-sama will not let you get out of it. Money is no objection since ore-sama is getting it for you. Now let's go."

Sanada watched Atobe walk off with a shocked expression. He did not want to shop to begin with, but to have Atobe pay for it was out of the question.

"I am not that desperate, nor do will I accept you paying for anything."

Atobe continued to walk away and calmly responded.

"Ore-sama doesn't think you're desperate either…Well, not that desperate. Ore-sama is also not doing this out of pity. I have my reasons, but if you must know at least one of them, think about it this way."

He glanced over his shoulder and once again gave Sanada a smug grin.

"I'm giving to charity. Because ore-sama is so considerate and philanthropic, ore-sama is freely giving to the poor in fashion taste. It is not out of pity, but out of my own humble good graces that I would bestow a gift to those who are unable to fashionably dress themselves."

Sanada was left speechless. He was not sure if that was because he actually believed Atobe or if it was the speech itself.

"Atobe and humble…Humble Atobe…That's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one…" 

"Fine. But nothing too…too…uh…"

"Hm? 'Nothing too' what?"

"Please…Nothing with…frills or lavender…I can't…Just please no…"

Atobe stared blankly at Sanada and then looked down at his own shirt. It was a regular, lavender dress shirt.

"What's so wrong about lavender?"

"Nothing…It's just that I don't care too much for lavender. Or anything else in the purple range."

Atobe looked down at his shirt again and then shrugged.

"Very well. But honestly though. You are called the Emperor. You should like purple since purple is the color of royalty. But ore-sama supposes you wouldn't be able to pull off this color as well as ore-sama does."

Sanada sighed. He shook his head and followed after Atobe. After going up a couple of levels, they finally arrived at the men's section.

"Originally I was just going to get you one nice looking outfit, but then I thought about that saying, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.'"

"You corrupt everything, don't you? Not even old adages are safe."

"Hmph. That's besides the point. Anyways, ore-sama has already decided what colors would look good on you, but just for giggles, what colors do you like?…And please don't say 'yellow'."

"I like black and grey."

"You would, wouldn't you? Hmm. Interesting though. This might be easier than ore-sama thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sanada stared questioningly at Atobe who simply ignored him. The diva thoughtfully crossed his arms and looked around in deep thought. Since Atobe was surprisingly not speaking at the moment, Sanada began to feel uncomfortable. He quietly tipped his hat down. When he glanced back up, he about fell over from shock.

"Didn't ore-sama say not to do that?"

Hyotei's buchou was right in front of Sanada with his face only a few inches away. Sanada thought his heart was going to explode from the shock and fear of suddenly having Atobe hovering.

"Not to do what?"

"Hide behind your hat."

Before he could object, Atobe quickly snatched the cap off of Sanada's head and began to examine it.

"What's so great about this thing?"

Sanada stood stark still and just watched Atobe fiddle around with his hat. Atobe then plopped the cap on his own head and faced Sanada.

"Now if we could get you to smile that way all the time, then children would have nothing to fear."

The other boy noticed that he was slightly grinning and quickly replaced it with a standard frown. Out of pure habit, Sanada reached up to pull down a non-existent cap. It was then that he realized what Atobe was talking about.

"I don't see what's so odd. I'm just a normal person. You in that cap made you look ridiculous and I was simply responding to that."

"Are you actually that dense or do you just pretend? But anyways, if you could at least manage an actual facial feature like that, it would really make a huge difference."

"Can I have my hat back?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Not until ore-sama breaks you of that habit."

Sanada sighed in defeat. On the tennis courts, he would own Atobe. In the department store, he was completely at his mercy. Atobe kept the cap on and continued to look around. Sanada was quietly straightening out his hair when the other boy suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

"Over there."

He followed Atobe to a shelf filled with button up dress shirts. They ranged from one end of the color spectrum to the other. Atobe made a sweeping gesture with his arm and looked expectantly at Sanada.

"Now pick. Ore-sama will let you pick first to get an idea."

Sanada felt like an idiot. He began glancing up and down the shelf at each shirt. At the far end he noticed the darker colors. Atobe watched with interest as Sanada went to that side of the rack and picked out a gray colored shirt.

"Does this meet his highness' approval?"

Atobe slowly nodded his head.

"That's fine. Though definitely not interesting."

"What's that mean?"

"Gray is fine and it can look pretty classy if used correctly, but sometimes, you need to let loose and add some color in your boring gray life."

Sanada wondered where Atobe came up with these kinds of sayings. It amused him to no end how Atobe can be so flamboyant and dramatic even while shopping.

"Now am I supposed to pick something…colorful?"

"Of course."

Sanada let out a small sigh. He began staring at each and every color while Atobe stood patiently to the side, fiddling with Sanada's cap, and at the same watching his every single move. Sanada severely missed his cap.

"Oi, Sanada, this isn't rocket science. Just pick a color you like…And don't pick yellow."

"What is your problem with yellow?"

"Ore-sama has no problem with yellow. It just looks ugly as a tennis uniform and isn't a very flattering color on you. At least not glaring yellow. It hurts ore-sama's eyes."

The other boy's shoulders slightly sagged. He was having more difficulty than he anticipated. Sanada then took a deep breath and began methodically thinking it out.

_"Fine. Anything yellow is out of the question. That would then eliminate the oranges. Let's see. Red is better, I suppose, but it's too bright. I don't care for purple. So, that leaves the greens and blues."_

"You know, it hurts ore-sama's brain just imagining what you are thinking so hard about."

Atobe walked over to where Sanada was standing and looked at the colors he was staring at.

"Between the greens and blues…Tough choice. Personally I would aim for somewhere in between."

Sanada looked at Atobe, then looked at the shirts. There were about three different shades in between blue and green. At that moment he wanted to kill whoever made up these colors. Atobe noticed the light twitch developing under one of Sanada's eyes and chuckled.

"You're thinking way too much about this. You're also worrying too much about the little details. For once in your rigid life, relax and just choose what _you_ want…Ore-sama is going to go check for something. By the time ore-sama returns, you had better picked a color."

With that, Atobe took off leaving Sanada stranded and alone with the shirts. The other people quickly passed around Sanada as they feared the teenager with a solemn stare and mumbling about a baseball cap. He was about to snap when he noticed a person pass by. Sanada was then reminded of his buchou and what he had said.

_You know, you worry too much…You shouldn't take too much on yourself. Just let loose and have fun once and while._

"Yukimura…"

He suddenly felt refreshed and took a deep breath. Sanada quickly glanced at the shirts again and went with his gut instinct. He proudly grabbed the shirt off the shelf and held it triumphantly. It was not until a little child asked what he was doing when he realized some of the shoppers were staring at him. Sanada was about to reach up for his cap when he stopped himself. He then realized what Atobe was talking about. Instead of giving into habit, Sanada pushed the other people out of his mind and walked off thinking only about how he would enjoy the party with the tennis team.

"Rejoice all ye souls of the Earth! He picked a shirt."

He noticed Atobe walking up to him still wearing his cap. Now he was wearing it sideways. Sanada could not help but think about the Change Over guy from Jyousei. The thought made him crack a small grin.

"And there was much rejoicing throughout the land. He can smile."

"Of course. I'm told I have a charming smile."

"Don't let it get to your head. Your smile is not near as charming as ore-sama's."

"If that's how it is in your fantasy world of frills and lavender."

Atobe made an exaggerated gesture of being hurt by the comment. He then collected himself and indicated to other sections of the store. Picking out pants and a jacket went much smoother and soon, Sanada had a couple of different outfits.

"Well, that should be enough to get you started. It's hard to mess up with those colors."

"So we're done?"

"Far from done. The day is still young and there is so much more that I must teach you before you are properly equipped to go out and impress your mark upon the world."

"You live in a different world, don't you?"

"You have no idea. Alright, now we're leaving."

"I thought we weren't done yet?"

"We're going to the hair dresser."

"Why?"

"Ore-sama doesn't know if you noticed, but your hair looks awful and you need a hair cut."

"I don't want one."

"Tough."

After purchasing the items, the two tennis stars got back into the limousine and drove off to the hairdresser.

"Grab your new clothes."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"That means nothing to me."

"Whatever. Just grab them."

They walked into a small building that turned out not to be that small on the inside. It had a lavishly decorated interior. Upon entering, there was the front desk and waiting room. To the right, all the hairdressers were busily trimming and designing hair while to the left were rooms for spa treatments.

"What in the world is this place?"

"It is where ore-sama goes for a haircut."

Atobe waltzed up to the front desk and began talking to one of the workers. Sanada glanced around the area taking in the sights. Atobe, who motioned to follow him, knocked him out of his sight seeing tour. They were led by one of the assistants to a back room.

"This is ore-sama's private section."

"You have a private section in a beauty salon?"

"Of course."

The section of the shop had everything the front area had except on a smaller scale. Atobe grabbed the clothes from Sanada and instructed him to sit in one of the chairs.

"Clean it up a bit. Make it look presentable."

Sanada held in his comments while Atobe instructed a hairdresser what to do. After getting his hair trimmed, Sanada had to admit that it looked much better. He no longer had the flat, hat-hair and it was neatly combed and trimmed.

"Alright. Now it's time to put it all together. Sanada, go put on your new clothes. Ore-sama does not care which ones, just pick something and then come back out."

Sanada stood up from the chair and grabbed the bag of clothes. He walked to one of the dressing rooms and began deciding on what he wanted to wear. He was about to think long and hard about what would look best, when he caught himself.

_"Don't worry too much…Just pick."_

Atobe stood patiently outside the dressing room and was pleasantly surprised at Sanada when he came back out. He went with brown slacks and the second shirt.

"Impressive. You actually look good for a change. See? Ore-sama is a genius."

"…Right…"

Sanada noticed a mirror in one corner of the room and walked over to it. He too was surprised at how he looked. Even though he never would have thought about wearing a shirt that color, he enjoyed how it looked.

"Clothes are taken care of, hair is taken care of, now all that is left is how you carry yourself."

"How I carry myself? I carry myself just fine, thank you."

Atobe shook his had and patted him on the shoulder.

"No, you don't. But ore-sama shall soon remedy that. First off, your shirt."

"What about it?"

"How do you like to keep the buttons?"

"Buttoned?"

Atobe shook his head again at Sanada's remark. He walked in front of Sanada and placed his hands on his hips.

"No. It is important to take into consideration what kind of look you want to go with for the occasion. You do that by buttoning your shirt different ways."

Sanada looked back into the mirror and attempted to understand what Atobe was talking about.

"Unbutton the first two and also the bottom one."

Even though he did not comprehend, Sanada obeyed the command and unbuttoned the designated buttons.

"There. Keeping it completely buttoned is for formal occasions. Going to a casual party, you would unbutton some of the top ones and the bottom ones depending on how much material is after the buttons. Since it's you, ore-sama kept it conservative."

Sanada once again glanced into the mirror. It did look more casual but something about it did not seem to fit right.

"It doesn't look right."

"That's because you're standing all wrong."

"Now I know you're wrong. I have good posture."

"If you're the little tin soldier. Relax your shoulders a bit. Good. Now hang loosely."

Sanada attempted to follow Atobe's instructions but was having a hard time with the last part. He looked over at Atobe who was currently in his "Insight" pose. Sanada watched curiously as the Hyotei buchou randomly poked him in the side. The sudden action caught Sanada off guard and his body instinctively moved.

"There. That's what ore-sama is talking about."

Sanada looked into the mirror and saw how he was standing.

"It's uncomfortable."

"Then make it comfortable. Move around a little bit, but keep the general posture."

After a few minutes of moving around, Sanada found a position that was actually quite comfortable.

"Good. You have now learned the basic skills. After perfecting it, you can move on to things like this."

Sanada watched half amused and half awed at what Atobe did next. He made a series of poses each one causing one or more girls to practically swoon or call in the other girls working there.

"See? It's how you carry yourself."

Atobe took a few steps back. Sanada felt as though he were a piece of art on display. His feelings were not far placed.

"This has to be one of ore-sama's greatest masterpieces."

As Atobe was admiring his job well done, he glanced at his watch.

"Perfect timing. Now, to get you to your party."

They quickly gathered Sanada's things and went back to the limousine. As they were driving, Sanada thought back to what had occurred that day. He suddenly felt something soft land on his lap. Looking down, he found his cap resting limply on his leg.

"So I get it back?"

"As long as you don't wear it until after you get done with the party. Ore-sama doesn't want that hard work to go to waste."

"It won't…Thank you, Atobe."

"Of course. It was ore-sama's pleasure instructing you in the ways of the world."

Sanada cracked a small grin and lightly bowed. The rest of the ride was in total silence for a change. Sanada took the time to think about Yukimura and about himself.

_"I suppose I did learn something…Yukimura…You were right. I need to enjoy life and do what makes me happy…I can't believe I learned that while spending time with Atobe of all people…This must never leave this vehicle…"_

The limousine finally pulled up to the karaoke bar Sanada had mentioned. Before he got out he once again thanked Atobe.

"No problem…You know, this is a good look for you…But you know what? No matter what you do or how you dress…You're always going to be the same boring guy. That seems to just be the way you are."

Atobe smiled at Sanada who stared back questioningly. Even not knowing what he meant exactly, Sanada realized what Atobe was doing for him.

"You're a strange one. But you're not all that bad."

"Hm…Now hurry on my Cinderella. Ore-sama has magically transformed you and now you must hurry to your Prince Charming."

Before Atobe could finish the sentence, Sanada slammed the door to the car shut and smiled at the weird analogy.

_"That guy…I don't know where he gets it…but…Thanks…I'm going to do what I want to do and enjoy this night…"_

With that, Sanada adjusted his posture to how Atobe had shown him and sauntered confidently into the building.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** Second chapter completed. You know, writing for Sanada is kind of difficult. He needs a personality, but anything relating to emotions makes him OOC. I tried to keep him as close as possible and took all my Sanada cues from the anime. So, these are all based on what I've observed of him from the anime. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter: Sanada gets to hear the opinions of his teammates on his new dressing style and the color shirt that he picked is revealed…Not that it actually is a big deal or anything…


	3. Poster Boy

**A/N:** The final chapter to this little story. Sorry it took so long. I grew lazy over winter break. Not to mention it was really hard for me to decide on how to write the ending. Sometimes Sanada can be difficult to write for. Oh well, here it is, the final chapter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doing It Right

_That was actually fun._

_I wouldn't mind doing that again sometime._

Sanada walked the school hallways lost in his thoughts. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that people would start whispering when he passed by. He found the general response from any female he came across.

_What's their problem?_

He continued to walk down the hallway and stopped when he reached his locker. After grabbing the necessary books he shut the door. When it closed, Kirihara was standing right next to him grinning. Sanada glanced suspiciously at the underclassman.

"What's so amusing?"

"Nothing much…That party was fun wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was."

Kirihara continued to grin and then left, leaving a wondering Sanada.

"Well, I have to go to class now…See ya!"

He quickly ran down the hallway. Sanada watched him leave and immediately became suspicious. As he continued to walk to class, he got more and more glances, whispers, and now giggles. At first, he thought they might have found some reason to joke about him and was going to pull down his cap when he suddenly stopped himself.

_It doesn't matter…I did nothing but enjoy myself the other night and I looked good…I didn't realize I could look so…_

Sanada stopped himself mid-thought and slightly shuddered. He cringed at the thought that he was sounding like Atobe. That in itself was enough to lead to a mentally damaging path in his opinion. He decided that he needed to go home and meditate to purge his mind of the shopping experience and the quirks of Atobe. If that failed, he would commit seppuku.

"Well, you're in a good mood today."

Despite the fact that he was contemplating how to forget that day, there was still a small trace of a grin. Sanada glanced at the speaker.

"Niou."

"For being in a good mood that was an awfully curt response."

Sanada continued to glare at Niou with his typical stare and chose not to respond. He resolutely walked into the classroom trailed by Niou who was still trying to pick up a conversation.

"And here I thought you were actually going to converse like a social person."

"Do not waste your time. There is only a 4.3 percent chance that he will actually respond in more than a short answer.

Sanada turned to look at his other classmate and tennis subordinate. He could only stare blankly at how he managed to create that percentage.

"Renji…How…Never mind. I don't want to know."

He turned back around and was about to pull down his cap when he stopped himself. Instead, he flicked the bill of his cap up a little bit and turned back around to face Yanagi.

"You know, I can have a conversation just as well as the next. Which brings me to wonder why people assume I do not know how to converse. Just because one controls one's thoughts and speaks when necessary does not mean one cannot talk with another person. Don't you agree?"

The Rikkai fukubuchou smirked with satisfaction. Both Niou and Yanagi were staring at him in what would be best described as shock. With a curt nod Sanada turned to face the proper direction again. He was still smirking when he noticed a couple of girls staring at him. He turned to her and nodded while maintaining he current facial expression. The girls quickly turned away blushing and giggling.

_…This day does not make sense. However it is a good day since I did get the upper hand with those two…_

"Yanagi…Was that…Did he just…actually say something longer than a few words…?"

"Hmm…Interesting. While it is only 4.3 percent chance of something longer than a sentence, it is a 3.1 percent chance he would speak for an extended period of time and even less than two percent chance he would attempt to continue the conversation…This is a stunning example of how even there is always that small chance. Perhaps in his case it would be suited to refer to this moment as an anomaly."

Sanada about slammed his head against the desk as he listened to Yanagi ramble on about how he has overturned all his data and needs to be re-analyzed.

_Forget it…If this is what happens each time…It's definitely not worth it…_

The rest of the day continued as it usually did save for the stolen glances and giggles. Sanada stoically endured the day and was relieved when he arrived at the tennis courts for practice. He wanted nothing more than to get some exercise and punish all the subordinates with running in retribution for giving him such a difficult time through school.

Each of the tennis regulars approached him at some point during the day and attempted to strike up a conversation or merely smiled at him or pestered him as Kirihara was prone to do throughout the school day as he passed Sanada in the hallways.

When he arrived at the courts, he stopped dead in his tracks. Standing at the entrance to the courts was the one and only diva of Hyotei, Atobe Keigo.

"What are you doing here?"

Atobe glanced over at him and plastered on a mask of innocence.

"Well, tennis practice was cancelled today. So, ore-sama decided to see how the night went and how you're doing now."

Sanada slowly nodded but remained tense. He could not let his guard down while he was around Atobe.

"The night went fine. I'm doing fine. Now please leave."

"I don't get it. Why would Atobe even care about the party and how did he even know?"

Kirihara looked at each of the other members in hope of understanding why Atobe knew these things. The others shrugged while Yanagi calmly addressed them all, much to the horror of Sanada.

"While I am not 100 percent sure about this. I would assume that Atobe aided Genichirou before the party and was the reason why he was dressed so nicely. Am I not correct?"

He glanced expectantly at Sanada who suddenly had all eyes trained on him. He glanced sideways at Atobe and his eye slightly twitched at the sight of his trademark smirk.

"Yes. I happened to run into him at the hospital and he was…kind…enough to help with my wardrobe."

At first he was met with dead silence which was suddenly cut by a muffled snicker. Kirihara had his hands over his mouth trying desperately not to laugh. Soon, the others were attempting the same thing.

"So you actually went shopping with him?…With Atobe!"

Niou was the only one who did not bother to hide his amusement. On the same note, neither did Atobe. He was standing idly by while enjoying the scene unfold.

"Niou. Go run fifty laps. Now."

The joker of Rikkai started running but never stopped laughing. His laughter could be hear even as he turned around the corner.

"Maa, Sanada. You shouldn't be so embarrassed. It should be considered an honor to be aided by ore-sama…And here is my end of the deal."

Sanada watched warily as Atobe passed a couple of notebooks to Yanagi who quickly flipped through the pages and nodded in approval.

"It has been a pleasure doing business."

"What business?"

Yanagi was caught off guard when Sanada deftly snatched the notebook from his hands. He flipped through the pages and read a series of numbers, graphs, and data on various teams. Many of the teams he had never heard of before, and others only by how high profile they were.

"How did you get all of this?"

"Ore-sama has ways that are not to be questioned."

He gave Sanada a smug grin. Sanada then turned his attention to Yanagi as he handed the notebook back.

"And what was your end of the deal?"

"Pictures."

"Pictures?"

"Yes, pictures. I received a phone call from Atobe who asked if I would take photographs of you at the party. At first I was uncertain as to the uses, but today, I have realized the reason."

"Go join Niou in running…And the whole lot of you can join them. Now GO!"

The rest of the team mumbled as they began running while Yanagi explained that there was a 99.9 percent chance that Sanada would make them all run.

"What was he talking about? Explain yourself!"

Atobe continued to grin smugly and pulled something from his pocket. He tossed a wad of folded paper to Sanada who slowly unfolded it and began reading. As he read, Atobe's grin grew larger and larger as Sanada became more and more irritated and annoyed.

"What in the world is this!"

"Ore-sama simply asked that your school newspaper publish a special about you and your glorious make-over. And I don't know if you noticed but it certainly has boosted your popularity with both the male and female audience."

Sanada looked back down at the paper and sighed. Sure enough, there were multiple photos of how he looked at the party. Though he did find the before and after pictures amusing.

"I don't believe it…Hmm…At least I do have quite an impressive photogenic ability. Or as you would put it; Ore-sama no bigi ni yoina (1)."

He smirked when he saw a brief flash of surprise on Atobe's face. The moment was soon crushed when the diva broke into a loud laugh.

"That…was wonderful. However, you still have a long way to go before you surpass the master. But, ore-sama shall continue to grace you with advice and my presence. And I am glad to see you do not rely on that _thing_ anymore. Since it no longer serves a purpose, why don't you burn it or something."

He pointed at the baseball cap situated atop Sanada's head. Sanada pulled it off and stared at it. True, he was better about how he wore it but it just did not feel right without it. He resolutely placed it back on his head.

"I could, but wouldn't that ruin my image? After all, the cap is one of my defining features."

Atobe stared blankly at him for a moment before grinning.

"If that is what you want to believe. Like I said before. You're always going to be the same boring guy regardless…Oh, by the way, you should stop by Yukimura's room. You will love what I've done with the place. Ciao."

Sanada watched as Atobe flipped his hair and made a dramatic exit towards the setting sun.

"That guy is unbelievable…"

He was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a muffled laugh. Sanada slowly turned around and glared menacingly at his teammates. They had apparently stopped and watched the whole conversation with Atobe.

"You're not running. That's another twenty laps!"

Among the moans and groans, there were still traces of laughter as the regulars continued their long run. Sanada smirked in satisfaction.

After tennis practice, Sanada had to contain himself from sprinting towards the local hospital. Using his incredible self-control he managed to walk calmly towards Yukimura's room and enter.

Yukimura was sitting up and smiling and smiled even bigger when he saw Sanada.

"Ah, Sanada. I'm glad you came. I was just admiring the gift Atobe left me."

Sanada felt like the world was crashing when he heard 'Atobe' and 'gift' in the same sentence.

"What…is…it?"

Yukimura pointed to the wall across from him. Sanada turned to glance at the wall and about suffered from cardiac arrest.

"I…don't…What…Why…"

"I rather like it!"

Pasted against the wall was a large picture the size of a poster. As Sanada stared in fear and shock, Yukimura began to giggle.

"I didn't even realize somebody had taken a picture of you like that. You look like such a poster boy, Sanada."

Sure enough, the poster was of none other than Sanada. He was holding a karaoke mic and posing in what would do Atobe proud. He did not know what was worse; the fact that he was actually posing like that or that Atobe would be proud of how he was posing. Either one sounded fairly bad to Sanada.

"Atobe…That guy…is so wicked…"

He turned towards Yukimura who was staring at him questioningly.

"What?"

"Hm, I was just wondering why you actually look pleased."

Sanada was caught off guard but quickly composed himself. He thought about that night and how he was able to just relax and enjoy his time with his fellow teammates and with Yukimura. As he thought about the events he began to gradually smile.

"You know…I really had a fun time. I don't regret going through all of that."

Yukimura smiled at the response and nodded.

"I did too. It was great seeing you all dressed up and what not. But you know, even though you were dressed differently and actually took a moment to relax…You were still very much you. That's what I admire about you. Your honesty that lets you be who you are regardless of the things around you. "

"Heh…Yeah, I seem to get that a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, nothing."

"…Sanada?"

"Yes?"

"What do you mean by 'going through all of that'?"

Yukimura watched amusedly as Sanada sighed in defeat and slumped in the chair beside the bed.

"It's a long story…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** Hyuuu! I'm glad I finished that. It was bugging me but I was still too lazy to do anything. And I purposelydid not describeSanada's pose as it would be much more fun to imagine whatever you want.(1) This is Atobe's signature catch phrase. It can be interpreted different ways but it all ends up meaning the same thing. Something along the lines of "be awed by my prowess; Be obsessed with my beautiful skills" you get the idea. Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoyed the story!


End file.
